Page 42 of Speed

“Breathe, Brody.” Logan pressed a hand to my arm. “Just breathe. Okay? In. Out. Count with me. In. Out.”

I listened to Logan's voice, counted my breaths, and at last, the panic began to recede.

“What do I do?”

“Talk to him.”

“It’s that easy?”

“Yep. Talk to him, and then, take the next step, and the next.”

“Can I stay here tonight?”

“You have to ask?” Logan smirked. “You can get up early with Avery, and I can get me some Sadie smooching in, and then, we both call the doc, yeah?”

I stood, feeling determined, happy, and unhappy, a little weird and a lot stressed, and hugged Logan.

“Thank you.”

“Always.”

An hour later, when the house was quiet, I was still staring at my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen. I typed out a message to Noah and backspaced it so many times it was ridiculous.

Brody: I’m sorry. Can we talk when you’re awake?

I pressed send and went to put my phone on the side table next to the bed, but a reply came almost instantly.

Noah: I’m here.

My chest tightened. I hesitated, then called him before I could overthink it. He answered on the second ring, his curls in disarray and his eyelids heavy with sleep. The screen barely lit his face, but I could see the faint curve of his lips as he said, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Silence stretched between us, thick and weighted. I cleared my throat. What did I say now?

Noah tilted his head, his smile teasing. “Is this a booty call? Because, dude, I’m wiped.”

“No,” I said, heat rising to my face. “Sorry, I just… It’ll be a thing if I come out, particularly in the European media and the US. The whole Jemima’s ex thing. Reporters will want to know everything—who I’m with, why, when, how. Our sex lives will be dragged through the press. Your dads, your sisters—it’ll all come up. It’ll be hell.”

“Uh-huh,” Noah said, unconcerned. “And?”

“It could end up destroying whatever we think we have.”

“Or,” Noah said, his voice steady, “it could be the best thing that ever happened.”

“You’re not freaking out?”

“Nope. Are you?”

“A little bit,” I admitted, my voice more gentle than intended.

“Well, Brody, you should know something,” Noah said, his gaze locking on mine through the screen. “I was fucking angry I didn't get to see you tonight because I miss your face when you're not around, and hell, I have feelings for you.”

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “Okay.”

“And?” Noah prompted, his eyes sparkling with challenge. “This is where you tell me how you feel.”

I hesitated, words tangling in my throat. His sleepy, disheveled appearance made him all the more irresistible—his curls wild, his smile gentle, his presence magnetic. He was strong and steady, even when I wasn’t. He was everything I hadn’t let myself want.

“Feelings. I have them,” I said.

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